When you’re a 6-foot-2 forward playing alongside the Caitlin Clark, let’s be honest, it’s easy to blend into the background. But not Hannah Stuelke. Oh no, the Cedar Rapids native took Clark’s legendary status as a WNBA Rookie of the Year and decided to put on her own show—stepping up like an understudy suddenly handed the leading role. Sure, when the other team is swarming Clark like moths to a flame, you’d better be ready for your spotlight moment.
And spotlight it was for Stuelke, who quietly (but fiercely) made Iowa’s opponents regret not paying her more attention. Averaging 14 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game, Stuelke’s stat sheet might as well have said, “Yes, I’m more than just Clark’s sidekick.” In fact, she didn’t just score; she scored efficiently, shooting a wild 62.7% from the field. Apparently, when defenders are too busy trying to cage Clark, Stuelke’s out here saying, “Don’t mind if I do” and sinking buckets like she’s playing a pick-up game in her backyard.
And let’s not forget her career-high, the game where she absolutely scorched Penn State, dropping 47 points on 17-of-20 shooting. Just casual. This was the same game where Caitlin Clark had one of her more “interesting” triple-doubles, racking up 27 points, 15 assists, and 12 turnovers. (Yes, you read that right—12 turnovers. But hey, even legends have off days, right?)
Stuelke was more than happy to pick up the slack. “I think it meant everything coming from Caitlin,” Stuelke said, glowing in that post-game confidence boost. “She’s one of the best players in the world and she believes in me.” Well, when one of the best players in the world believes in you, you’d better start believing in yourself. Confidence? Check. Swag? Double-check.
As if dropping 20-plus points in eight games wasn’t enough to make her presence known, Stuelke put on another clinic in Iowa’s Final Four matchup against UConn, finishing with—you guessed it—23 points on 9-for-12 shooting. Basically, she’s allergic to missing shots when it counts.
Knee-deep in Determination—Literally
As if Hannah Stuelke’s rise wasn’t impressive enough, she did it all with a banged-up knee. That’s right, folks—Stuelke was out there torching teams while being less than 100%. Apparently, she hurt her knee in a scrimmage against DePaul early in the season. Most mortals would’ve been sidelined, but Stuelke? Nope. She played through the pain, making every shot, rebound, and block look effortless (thanks to Iowa’s crack medical team). Her reward? Surgery and rehab in the offseason. Stuelke’s response? “(The knee) feels a lot better than last year.” No biggie—just your average day in the life of a future college basketball star, right?
New Iowa coach Jan Jensen has already heaped praise on Stuelke’s rebounding ability, calling her one of the fiercest paint players in the game. Guess what, Big Ten? Caitlin Clark might be gone, but you’re still in trouble because Stuelke isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
With the expanded Big Ten looming and Iowa adjusting to life without their iconic star, all eyes will be on Stuelke to lead the charge this season. Can she carry the torch passed by Clark and elevate Iowa to even greater heights? Let’s just say, if her 47-point blowout of Penn State is anything to go by, we’re all in for quite the show.
Conclusion
Hannah Stuelke has proven that she’s not just the “other” player on Iowa’s squad. Thanks to Caitlin Clark’s mentorship and belief, Stuelke’s taken her game to new heights, and there’s no telling how far she’ll go. This season, she’ll be stepping into the role of a leader—and if her past performance is any indication, the rest of the Big Ten should be on high alert.
